International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, Vol.41, No.36, 15952-15959, 2016
Electrochemical performance of Co-containing mixed oxides as oxygen electrode materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide electrolysis cells
Composite materials Nd0.8Sr1.2CoO4 (-) (delta) - Nd0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (-) (delta) were prepared and evaluated as oxygen electrode for intermediate temperature reversible solid oxide cells (IT-RSOCs). Nd0.8Sr1.2CoO4 - (delta) (NSC0812) material with A(2)BO(4-type) structure was prepared by citratenitrate combustion method, and Nd-1 (-) xSrxCoO3 (-) (delta) (x = 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6, 0.7) materials with perovskite structure were prepared via the glycine nitrate process (GNP). The crystal structure, thermal expansion, electrical conductivity and electrochemical properties were investigated. The lattice volume of Nd1 - xSrxCoO3 (-) (delta) increases with increasing Sr content, x. XRD analysis show that no reaction occurs between oxygen materials and Gd0.2Ce0.8O1.9 (GDC). The thermal expansion coefficient increases with increasing x. AC impedance spectroscopy on symmetric cells was used to assess electrochemical performance of the oxygen electrode materials. Nd0.5Sr0.5CoO3 - (delta) (NSC0505) has the lowest total cathodic polarization resistance for 0.099 Omega cm(2) at 750 degrees C. The composite materials NSC0505 and NSC0812 with the ratio of 7:3 reveals a better performance than either material individually at 700 degrees C, which is due to introduce of more oxygen vacancies and oxygen interstitials with NSC0812. For an electrolysis voltage of 1.3 V, current densities in a single cell fabricated with Nd0.5Sr0.5CoO3 - delta - Nd0.8Sr1.2CoO4 - delta are 420 mA cm(-2) at 800 degrees C. (C) 2016 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:Composite oxygen electrode materials;IT-RSOCs;Conductivity;Citrate-nitrate combustion method;GNP;Electrochemical performance